BEIJING: A Chinese court has ordered a man to pay his former wife 50,000 yuan ($7,700); as compensation for housework she did during their five-year marriage; state media reported Wednesday.
Under a landmark civil code that seeks to better protect the rights of individuals; spouses can seek compensation from their partners in a divorce if they have shouldered more responsibilities – including housework.
According to court records, the man identified by his surname Chen had filed for divorce last year from his wife; surnamed Wang, after getting married in 2015.
She was reluctant to divorce at first; but later requested financial compensation, arguing that Chen had not shouldered any housework or childcare responsibilities for their son.
The judge ruled in her favor; telling the man to pay 50,000 yuan to his wife for her labor, according to state television.
He must also pay 2,000 yuan a month to support their child, with other assets such as the property may divide equally.
“A nanny’s annual income is already in the tens of thousands of yuan,” said a social media user. “This is too little.”
Unequal gender roles in domestic life have been a topic of public debate in China in recent years amid a rising feminist movement.
The case has generated a huge debate online over the value of domestic work; with some saying the compensation amount was too little.
($1 = 6.4472 Chinese yuan renminbi)
The writer is Freelancer, associated with Medical Profession ,working towards PhD in Healthcare Management.